Dr. Sc. (Ps.), Prof. Shevyakov O. V., Cand. Sc.(Ps), Assoc. Prof. Krupskyi O. P., Cand. Sc. (Ped.) Slavska Y. A.

Dnipropetrovsk Humanitarian University

PSYCHOLOGICAL PROVISION OF PROCESSES MODERNIZATION OF METALLURGICAL PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT

Difficult and strenuous conditions of the operator’s metallurgist’s activity demand a due approach to the whole man-machine system optimization. This approach must consider all the operator’s activity features (psychological ones first) and include appropriate research methods and ergonomic planning ones.

The consideration of psychological factors in the development of new technical means of activity and modernization of the available ones is an indispensable condition to realize their economic efficiency.

The methodological basis of the research was G. Zarakovsky’s ergonomic providing concept of the men-machine system development and exploitation [6].

The problem of increasing the efficiency of the “Rolling-Mill” man-machine system operating isn’t new. As a result of the analysis of some theories which concern rolling-mill operator’s activities and were published in different time researches, we can distinguish some real-life approaches to the issue. A technological approach is aimed at the local automatization and the commitment of the rolling mill during a shift as well as at the idle times of the rolling mill and their reasons. A sanitary and hygienic one is aimed at the assessment of the complexity and tension in rolling-mill operator’s activity. And an ergonomic approach is mostly reduced to the rationalization of control panels and organization of work stations. Foreign researchers (G. Bedny [1], I. Brito [2], A. Chapanis [3], I. Foley [4], G. Thu [5]) define technology features and the level of management automation as the external determinants of psychological tension and stressful factors in the activity of metallurgical unit operators. An analysis of modern foreign ergonomic and psychological literature revealed the presence of theoretical assumptions of the operator’s activity optimization in different countries (G. Zarakovsky [6]). The ergonomic direction of metallurgists` activity optimization, which developed fragmentary in Ukraine and China, continues our research.

Operators of continuous broadband rolling mills have been examined in two countries. The research was conducted under production conditions of the Dnipro Metallurgical Plant and the “Buncy Steel” Steel Mill, which have a cooperation agreement among themselves [7].

The subject of the research was an ergonomic provision of optimization of rolling-mill operators` activity and its correlation with the production efficiency of socio-technical systems (see the figure). The psychological, physiological and psychophysiological factors of intensification of metallurgical production technological processes were studied.

The purpose of the research is to define the influence features of ergonomic and psychological factors on the activity efficiency of continuous broadband rolling mill operators in the conditions of metallurgical enterprises modernization of the two countries.

The hypothesis of the research is that the directed influence organization of psychological factors allows optimizing the operators` activity and thus increasing the efficiency of modern socio-technical system of rolling mill production.

The group of methods contains a traditional job analysis including observations, interviews and conversations with experts; an analysis of fabrication documentation and official instructions and regulations; an identification of metal processing mode violations by operators, emergency situations and production idle times. The age of operators, their sex and length of service were recorded.

The survey was carried out to determine the subjective attitude of operators toward the objective factors of technological process modernization, which affect upon the occupational stress and psychological tension occurring in the workplace, and to identify the main motivational aspects of operator’s activity.

A comparison of the labor efficiency of the rolling mill operators and their psychological characteristics leads to the conclusion about the existence of a nonrandom influence of the motivational aspects and personal factors on the personnel professional “success”. An ergonomic assessment of the operator’s activities proved that the rolling mills modernization requires the consideration of psychological factors (difficulty and intensity of activities, functional states of specialists) in the development of technological modes (press round programs) and in the creation of local and integrated automation systems, in the improving process of the organizational and information support for the operator’s activity during the exploitation of the socio-technical system.

References:

1.Bedny G. Z. (2010). Activity theory: history, research and application / G. Z. Bedny, М. Seglin, D. Meister // Theoretical Issues in Ergonomics Science. – Vol. 2, No 3. – Р. 168–206.

2. Brito J. C. (2011). About women and work: towards the construction of a famale work ergonomics // Designing for everyone / Ed. by Queinnec, F. Daniellou. – L. : Taylor and Francis. – Р. 17–22.

3. Chapanis A. (2012). Researcg techniques in human engineering. Baltimore: J. Hopkins University Press. – 2012. – Р. 121–125.

4. Foley J. D. (2014). Fundamentals of Interactive Computer Graphics. Reading: Addisson–Wesley. – P.73–86.

5.Thu G. (2013). The bases of psychology intensification of high-automatical processes under the condition of metalical production (for instance Ukraine, Russia and China) // Experimentele Psichologie / Abstract der 45. Tagung experimentell arbeitender Psychologen. – Kiel. S.211.

6. Zarakovsky G. (2014). The concept of theoretical evaluation of operators’ performance derived from activity theory / G. Zarakovsky // Theoretical Issues in Ergonomics Science. –Vol. 5, No 4. – P. 313–337.

7. Shevakov O. V. (2017). Ergonomic provision of modernizing management processes of metallurgical production in Ukraine and China / O. V. Shevyakov, O. P. Krupskyi, Y. A. Slavska // Наук. вісн. Нац. гірничого ун-ту. – №1(157). – P.134–143.